?Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi has pledged to help with the construction of a hospital in Europe poised to deal with cancer in children, per ?Marca.

The forward has had a long relationship with children’s hospital Sant Joan de Deu, with the facility giving him the growth treatment he needed when he moved to Barca as a youngster. He certainly wouldn’t be the player he is today without the hospital’s help, and has never forgotten how it impacted his life.

Messi has helped finance said hospital in years prior, funding research and the training of Argentinian doctors at the facility.

And when he was informed of their latest project, the player did not hesitate to offer his support.

The construction of a new hospital annexed to the Sant Joan de Deu will be assisted by a project started by the Lionel Messi Foundation and the Barcelona Foundation. The facility will prioritise research into and treatment of child cancer, a disease which so far cannot be cured.

There is no knowledge on what to do to avoid it either, and treatment is very pricey. But with the player and his foundation backing the €30m project, certain affected kids will have a hospital available that is designed just for them.

The player is also backing the social media hashtag #paralosvalientes, meaning #ForTheBrave, set up to promote donations and financial support. And after scoring in a match against Sevilla last month, he painted two lines into his face to symbolise his support.

To date, €4m has been received. And while it’s a great haul, there’s still a long way to go.